Rep. Obernolte joins with Western Caucus to introduce “Western Conservation Principles”
U.S. Congressman Jay Obernolte (CA-08) joined with the Congressional Western Caucus and Senate Western Caucus on Wednesday to introduce the “Western Conservation Principles,” a holistic, outcome-based conservation proposal to serve as a counterpoint to the Biden Administration’s controversial “30 by 30 initiative” and America the Beautiful Report. The blueprint promotes responsible, effective conservation supported by rural communities across the United States, including locally led conservation efforts, active land and water management, and promotion of multiple-use land.
“Preserving our environment and natural lands is critical to ensuring our children and grandchildren can continue to enjoy the great outdoors. I am proud to represent a district that contains over 7,830 square miles of national park land. We have a responsibility to ensure proper management of that land, including wildfire prevention and forest management strategies, to protect the safety of our communities and the continued beauty of our wild lands,” said Rep. Jay Obernolte. “These Western Caucus Conservation Principles represent a science-based approach to restoring, managing, and protecting access to our natural lands to ensure their survival for generations to come.”
“In the West, we know firsthand that locking up lands with preservationist designations does not automatically guarantee healthy landscapes. In fact, the opposite is often the case. The Western Conservation Principles demonstrate that conservation and working lands go hand-in-hand. If the Administration is serious about restoring America the Beautiful, they will embrace Western Conservation Principles and promote these time-tested, science-based practices we know equate to real conservation outcomes for our lands and waters,” said Congressional Western Caucus Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04) and Senate Western Caucus Chairman Steve Daines (MT) in a joint statement.
Click here to read the Western Conservation Principles.
The Western Caucus Principles were introduced with the support of Congressional Western Caucus Vice Chairs Kevin McCarthy (CA-23), Bruce Westerman (AR-04), Pete Stauber (MN-08), John Curtis (UT-03), Doug Lamborn (CO-05), Chris Stewart (UT-02), Liz Cheney (WY-AL), Mark Amodei (NV-02), and Garret Graves (LA-06) as well as Western Caucus Members Reps. Jay Obernolte (CA-8), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02), Ken Calvert (CA-42), Yvette Herrell (NM-02), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Blake Moore (UT-01), Adrian Smith (NE-03), Tom Tiffany (WI-07), Mike Bost (IL-12), Ralph Norman (SC-05), David Joyce (OH-14), Brian Babin (TX-36), Rick Crawford (AR-01), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), Kelly Armstrong (ND-AL), Fred Keller (PA-12), and David Valadao (CA-21).
Senate Western Caucus Members leading the introduction include Senators John Barrasso (WY), Cynthia Lummis (WY), Mike Crapo (ID), Jim Risch (ID), James Lankford (OK), Jerry Moran (KS), Mitt Romney (UT), John Hoeven (ND), Deb Fischer (NE), John Cornyn (TX), and Dan Sullivan (AK).
Western Conservation Principles have garnered endorsements from the following groups: Public Lands Council, Western Energy Alliance, National Endangered Species Act Reform Coalition, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Forest Research Council, American Exploration and Mining Association, American Sheep Industry, Family Farm Alliance, National Association of Counties, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Mining Association, National Stone, Sand, and Gravel Association.